Guinea Pig Skin Issues: Mites, Lice, Ringworm, and More!

When it comes to the health of your guinea pig, one of the most important elements is skin health. The key to maintaining proper skin health is to always ensure your guinea pig is living in a clean, healthy environment. Sometimes, now mater how careful you are, your guinea pig might develop a skin issue.

In today’s article, we are going to discuss the most common guinea pig skin issues. I will describe how to spot the symptoms, and how to treat each skin problem.

Guinea Pig Skin Issues

The most common guinea pig skin issues are mites, ringworm, lice, scurvy, and alopecia.

All of these conditions can result in dry skin and eventually hair loss. Below I will discuss each condition and everything you need to know about them.

Mites

Mites are the most common skin issue in guinea pigs. A might infestation occurs when hundreds of the mite parasites (officially called Trixacarus caviae) latch onto your guinea pig’s skin. In serious cases, the mites will burrow themselves into your guinea pigs’ skin, an even lay eggs which can linger for weeks.

Mites cause a serious itching sensation for your guinea pigs. This will cause them to constantly scratch the infestation area, and eventually they will start inflaming their skin. Once their skin is irritated, it becomes scaly and dry. Eventually your guinea pig’s hair will start to fall out at the place of the infestation.

You should isolate your guinea pig immediately if you suspect they have mites. You should also clean out your entire cage. I would recommend giving your guinea pig a shampoo bath an also applying some topical creams to prevent itching.

Ringworm

Ringworm is a fungal infection which can cause dry, flakey skin and hair loss. It usually begins showing up in your guinea pig’s facial region, but it can also appear on their back or other parts of the body. The area infected by ringworm usually takes a circular shape.

Ringworm usually does not itch as much as mites, but it can definitely cause irritation. You should isolate a guinea pig immediately if you suspect they have ringworm, as it is very contagious. In fact, it can even spread to humans. For this reason, you should always use gloves when handling a guinea pig with ringworm.

There are many times of anti-fungal creams that can help treat this condition. In serious cases, you might have to get antibiotics from the vet. You can learn more here on my article about guinea pig fungal infections.

Lice

Lice are similar to mites in that they are small parasites that latch on to your guinea pig’s skin. They are usually white, brown, or gray, and are very hard to see with the naked eye. The best way to detect lice on your guinea pig is to use a magnify glass.

Lice usually attach to your guinea pig’s head in the neck and ear region. While they do not usually cause scratching and irritation, more severe cases can cause symptoms similar to mites.  Your guinea pig might develop dry, scaly skin, and possibly even hair loss.

While the lice on your guinea pig cannot spread to humans, they are very contagious to other guinea pigs. Therefore, if you determine that your guinea pig has lice, it is important to isolate him/her if there are multiple guinea pigs in the cage. Lice in guinea pigs can usually be treated with special shampoos or topical treatment. If the problem persists, you might have to bring your guinea pig to the vet.

Scurvy

Scurvy is a disease that is directly related to a vitamin C deficiency. When you guinea pig does not get enough vitamin C, they may develop scurvy which can lead to patchy skin and even hair loss. Scurvy can also cause muscle soreness and a runny nose in guinea pigs. The best way to ensure your guinea pig is getting enough vitamin C is to give him/her a lot of leafy vegetables.

Alopecia

Alopecia is the official condition that refers to hair loss. It is a fairly common skin issue for guinea pigs, and can be caused by a wide range of factors. Some of the most common reasons guinea pigs develop Alopecia are stress, unbalanced diet, genetics, chewing, and pregnancy. The best way to prevent Alopecia is to ensure that your guinea pig is living in healthy conditions and is being fed a balanced diet.